Christmas is making me angry!!!

[*Efjay*]

Tan your sister has a weird way of thinking. You MUST have money becaus eyou jsut did your kitchen? Ah one would think you would have no money left because you just did your kitchen? You just got hte baby bonus? YEAH because you just had a baby & thats costs money....

[*Efjay*]

SJ why don't you do up some photos of your belly & frame them?
Or even as others have said, bake some biscuits or something like that.

[christy]

I find it really hard too... I don't like to encourage the commercialism of this time of year. I have tried to make things for our closest friends children, especially since I know they will buy something for our girls. Over the years I have started doing more and more "making" and less "buying". This year I made the girls in the family aprons and bought some wooden puzzles from Oxfam for the younger children.

With my mum however, its her birthday a few weeks before Christmas, so I try to get things for her for both and I do small things but I want her to feel special too. I live on the other side of the world, so its one time I can do that.

[Heaven]

I hate it when ppl think you must have money because you just did so and so...... well maybe we saved up for ages for that, and maybe we don't want to spend our spare money on you!!!! Maybe we have things we need to save up for that are more important!!

[Heaven]

Thanks FJ. I have a photo here of me and mum at my wedding which I was thinking of framing for her but then I was angry that my wedding was 3 yrs ago and she hasn't ordered any photos herself or put them up or anything, lol. I have some christmas cookie cutters so I was thinking of making some shortbread for the stupid husband because I already have the ingredients and that's free, lol. And I don't really care if he thinks the present is dodgy anyway because as you may be able to tell I do not like him!

[Shanti]

Sara I hear you.

One xmas my sister wrote me a text message and said "don't worry about presents this year because we're not gonna have much room in our car, so instead just give us some money will do"
Can you believe that?!?!?

I told her to get stuffed and that it was rude to ask for anything!!!! She learnt her lesson

This christmas is great.... it's just me and DH

eta - just buy her something she hasnt asked for haha

[Heaven]

lol Ren, wtf?? I just don't understand some ppl!!

lol, might just have to get some laxatives FJ.

[Shanti]

that was my sister you met.....

[Snowy Love]

Evil thought - I'd keep buying the charity cards till she gets the hint - you know the (real) receipient is going to appreciate it.

Where do people get off telling you how to spend your money?

With my family we're doing the charity thing from now on, but we have to buy stuff for DH's family 'cause they're more materialistic and wouldn't appreciate the charity gifts.

[Meegs]

I am a little disheartened this year as well... We do buy presents for our immediate family, but I really wish we didnt. My in laws are soo ungrateful. I can guarantee that Xmas morning we will get a call from them ( we do not live in the same state) asking if I have kept receipts as they presents do not fit or they have that already or they do not like it etc etc. It really gives me the pips as I always put effort into what i buy...

I too think that the whole spirit of Christmas is lost on a lot of people. Buying just for the sake of buying is ridiculous. We may as well all stand in a room and swap $50 notes!!

[Heaven]

rofl Snowy, I should have ordered the charity things! Now it's too late!

[Phteven]

rofl Snowy, I should have ordered the charity things! Now it's too late!

It's never too late for Oxfam unwrapped. They will email you the card

[Olive]

we do kris kringle with both sides so 4 presents between DH and i plus DD, makes things much easier and cheaper!

[Heaven]

We're doing that with DHs side. Much easier!!

Why can't everyone be like my Nan?? She sent up some presents for us then she rang and said 'Now don't you dare buy me a present, you have a baby on the way so don't waste your money on me I don't need anything I just bought you something because I enjoy it'. She's the best.

[aussienic]

Just wanted to drop off a Same here.. I dont mind buying for people but I don't want to be expected to..

MIL walked up to me about a month ago and handed me a phote and said "get us this for Xmas" it was a $99 Rocket Blender.,,,, Um hello we have 4 kids.. I don't even spend that much on them.. I found the same thing different brand for $40 so yeh she will get it and no doubt complain it wasn't the right brand..

[SamiH]

Isn't christmas supposed to be about the kids, family, and appreciating each other and not the $$$$.

My DH and I buy little something to wrap for under the tree for the kids sake - things I would normally buy though - this year he "bought" me a 2009 calendar, a mini massager thingy and I "bought" him a new hubcap for the other car and some new cables he needed .... again, it is for the kids really cos they get excited when we give each other gifts too ...

Only 3 sleeps ...

[widdly]

SJ, I totally agree with you, both sides of our family wanted to do kris kringle, but this year we dont even really want to spend money on that, so I asked around and it turned out that everyone was more than happy not to do presents anyway, so we are just doing pressies for kids from now on. Unfortunately it doesn't seem that your family are as understanding. Sorry this is stressing you out, hope you can still relax for xmas day x

[*Efjay*]

I would do that, you know it would be really bad form of her to say something negative about getting the framed photo. As for the DH blah put laxatives in the mix LOL